“We don’t have enough good football players right now to have a regular game,” Withers said in 2016 following what amounted to a glorified practice.

Fast forward to Saturday, when Withers’ comments were more favorable — but ultimately even more outspoken — following the Gold team’s victory over the Maroon squad in front of 1,000 fans at Bobcat Stadium.

“I love these guys,” he said. “Are we more talented? No. But I like being around them. They’re good people, and they have a better care for each other than a year ago. I want my son to be around them. I want families to be around them.

Colleges

“I didn’t like those guys last year. I didn’t bring my kids over here because I didn’t want them to be infested with what was going on.”

What was going on was a dismal, uninspired season in which the Bobcats finished 2-10 after Withers cleaned house and established a tough tone from day one.

Withers and the Bobcats are hoping for much better results in 2017. He said Saturday’s spring scrimmage was a step in the right direction.

For the record, the Gold team made of offensive players defeated the Maroon defensive units 104-102.

The squads could score points in a variety of ways, from touchdowns, first downs and explosive plays on offense to stops, tackles for loss and blocked kicks on defense.

Each of the six, 10-minute sessions focused on game situations.

Most of the eyes this fall will surely focus on the quarterback battle.

Damian Williams, a graduate transfer from Mississippi State, appears to be the frontrunner for the starting job after completing 14 of 22 passes Saturday for 172 yards and four touchdowns.

“We don’t have a starting quarterback,” Withers said, noting that he expects three incoming freshmen to compete with Williams for the No. 1 signal caller position. “He played fine (Saturday). He’s progressing in the offense. It’s going to take this summer for him to know the nuances of what we want him to do.

“His mechanics are all over the place. He’s still missing throws. He’s got a long way to go.”

What coaches have liked about the 6-foot-1, 215- pound Williams is his competitive nature and fondness for throwing the deep ball, something that was missing a year ago.

The Bobcats also likely will have a redshirt freshman running back this season. Withers likes the north-south style of Robert Brown Jr., a 5-9, 200-pounder from Houston.

“We don’t have a team right now. We have a roster,” he said. “It won’t be a team until we get (22) guys from high school in the fall to compete for jobs.”

Texas State opens the season at home Sept. 2 against Houston Baptist.

jwhisler@express-news.net

Twitter: @johnfwhisler

SAN MARCOS — A year ago at his first Maroon-Gold spring game, Everett Withers barely knew the players’ names, let alone their talents.

But for Withers, just a few months on the job as Texas State’s new head football coach, it was long enough to form an opinion. And earn a reputation for candor .

“We don’t have enough good football players right now to have a regular game,” Withers said in 2016 following what amounted to a glorified practice.

Fast forward to Saturday, when Withers’ comments were more favorable — but ultimately even more outspoken -following the Gold team’s victory over the Maroon squad in front of 1,000 fans at Bobcat Stadium.

“I love these guys,” he said. “Are we more talented? No. But I like being around them. They’re good people and they have a better care for each other than a year ago. I want my son to be around them. I want families to be around them.

“I didn’t like those guys last year. I didn’t bring my kids over here because I didn’t want them to be infested with what was going on.”

What was going on was a dismal, uninspired season in which the Bobcats finished 2-10 after Withers cleaned house and established a tough tone from day one.

Withers and the Bobcats are hoping for much better results in 2017. He said Saturday’s spring scrimmage was a step in the right direction.

For the record, the Gold team made of offensive players defeated the Maroon defensive units 104-102.

The squads could score points in a variety of ways, from touchdowns, first downs and explosive plays on offense to stops, tackles for loss and blocked kicks on defense.

Each of the six, 10-minute sessions focused on game situations.

Most of the eyes this fall will surely focus on the quarterback battle.

Damian Williams, a graduate transfer from Mississippi State, appears to be the frontrunner for the starting job after completing 14 of 22 passes Saturday for 172 yards and four touchdowns.

“We don’t have a starting quarterback,” Withers said, noting that he expects three incoming freshmen to compete with Williams for the No. 1 signal caller position. “He played fine (Saturday). He’s progressing in the offense. It’s going to take this summer for him to know the nuances of what we want him to do.

“His mechanics are all over the place. He’s still missing throws. He’s got a long way to go.”

What coaches have liked about the 6-foot-1, 215- pound Williams is his competitive nature and fondness for throwing the deep ball, something that was missing a year ago.

The Bobcats also likely will have a redshirt freshman running back this season. Withers likes the north-south style of Robert Brown Jr., a 5-9, 200-pounder from Houston.